Bixbyite
Most Bixbyite in collections come in the form of small, lustrous, black crystals in
Rhyolite - typically from Utah or New Mexico, but it occurs elsewhere as well. It is an
unusual ore mineral in the Kalahari Manganese Field, and magnificent large crystals (to
over 5 cm) have been found near Ultevis in Sweden. The type locality is Topaz Mt. in
Utah (USA).
Specimen Handling
Bixbyite is for all practical purposes stable in a normal household environment. It is not
harmed by light, changes in temperature in the normal comfort range, or known to
decompose. Bixbyite specimens can be brittle and should be handled with care like any
other mineral specimen. Bixbyite is not appreciably soluble in water.
Bibliography
Anthony, John Williams, Richard A. Bideaux, Kenneth W. Bladh & Monte C.
Nichols. 1997. Handbook of mineralogy, vol. 3
Blackburn, William H. & William H. Dennen. 1997. Encyclopedia of mineral
names. Canadian Mineralogist, special publication 1.
Gaines, Richard W., H. Catherine W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason,
Abraham Rosenzweig & Vandall T. King. 1997. Dana's new mineralogy:
the system of mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, 8th
ed.
Hintze, Carl (ed.) 1916-1929. Handbuch der Mineralogie, vol. 1, section 3, part
1.
Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel. 1944. The system of
mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University
1837-1892, 7th ed. Vol. 1.
Ramdohr, Paul & Hugo Strunz. 1980. Klockmann's Lehrbuch der
Mineralogie, 16th ed.
Roberts, Willard Lincoln, Thomas J. Campbell & George Robert Rapp jr.
1990. Encyclopedia of Minerals 2nd ed.
Sinkankas, John. 1964. Mineralogy.
This page is written and maintaned by Claus
Hedegaard
